Nah, I'm not worried about that. I just hope someone posts soon.

9.

I turn to see who called my name. My face strunches up when I realize who it is.

Yumi.

We pause for a moment. Yumi's eyes cast downward at my glare.

What is she doing here? Who does she think she is?

My blood starts to boil. My anger for her builds up inside of me. The last time I saw her was at the summer festival...

...and it's already been too soon.

"Ano...Taka. How have you-"

Yumi starts to say something but I'm already walking away. But that doesn't stop her from chasing after me.

Yumi gets infront of me before I can reach Kana's room.

"Ne Taka. I was wond-"

"What is it?" I say harshly.

"Eto...I-I was wondering what you're doing in a couple of weeks."

What did she say? In a couple of weeks!?

Inside of me is like a volcano ready to explode. I tighten my hand into a fist.

Kana's birthday is in a couple of weeks. What does she think she's doing? I'm going to show Kana a wonderful birthday. In a couple of weeks...how could she even mention-

Yumi continues to talk. However, I'm not listening to what she's saying.

"I'm going to that amusement park and well...if you want. I mean in a couple of weeks-"

"I'm busy." I say cutting her off.

"Oh..." Yumi says quietly. "Well...if you ever have free time or if I could possibly..."

"I said I'm busy..." I walk around Yumi and put my hand on the door.

"I'm busy in a couple of weeks." I quietly say.

Kana. It's Kana's birthday soon. I don't want to be with Yumi. Kana. Kana needs me.

"Taka...please. I-"

I ignore Yumi turning the handle but I don't open the door.

...

...

...

"I'm too busy for you."

Yumi's shoulders drop in defeat.

"Don't appear before me again."

I open the door and walk inside.

You ask, and you shall recieve.

Hmm, harshness indeed. Didn't figure his dislike was gut boiling rage, but we can work with it! Now how to turn this into more angst...no love hotels or booze yet...

<.<

>.>

Who's next? It seems Sideris, Darkling, and myself are up.

I'm teh thinking! *pushes Darkling forward* ^^;;;;

Wow, we were harsh with Yumi. I finally had a moment to sit down and read that. I liked it, but now I feel a slight remorse >.>

10.

Sighing to myself for a moment as I wipe the small amount of sweat from my now loosening fist. I take a moment to regain my composure as I stand before the doorway still seperated from Kana by the drawn curtain.

Who does she think she is? She should have known what was going to happen before she even approached me.

Straightening my clothes, I walk past the curtain and sit next to Kana with a smile on my face.

"I'm sorry that I had to leave you for so long. I hope that you aren't upset with me", I say nonchalantly as I notice a gleam in Kana's eyes and her widening smile just happy to see me.

"O-Of course I'm not upset. I am just happy that you come to visit me", she says as she fiddles with the sheet in her hands.

W-What did Miki what? Is everything o-okay?

A smile grows on my face as I gently pat kana on the head.

"Everything is alright. I just needed to discuss something with Miki, and she had a moment so she came and got me.", I said as I tried to push Yumi out of my mind.

"Oh? What did you have to speak to Miki about?", Kana continues to ask. Her inquisitiveness knows no bounds. It's abit endearing, but can be hard to keep secrets from her.

Yay! J-Pop posts at last! =)

Well, to be fair, that's pretty much how he reacted to her when they met at the shrine in the game, six months before this story. (I'd forgotten that, too - good get, J-Pop.)

I was glad to see Yumi being slapped down, actually.

However, as for the 'renewable sources of angst' angle... I have an idea on that. Hmmmm.

Hmm, I shall wait for the next post to properly get something brewing, I've got ideas, but not enough. x.x

11.

"She just had a, um... personal question to ask me," I adlib, hurriedly. "About her, ah... her... periods..."

Kana's face scrunches up in confusion. "Her periods?"

"Rounds!" I blurt, flushing bright red. "She wanted to know if I was going to be around when she'd finished her rounds!"

"Ah." Kana nods. "That makes more sense. Kashima-sensei keeps her busy. He knows that Miki's responsible."

Kashima-sensei.

Yumi's face flashes before me again. That last, defeated expression. The look of despair in her eyes.

Yumi Kashima...

Am I that stupid that I never tried to make a connection between the two?

Of course, it's not as if I go around looking for reasons to think of her. Yumi. I hate her. I hate her because...

Why, exactly, do I hate her again?

Laughter. Kids mocking and laughing and dancing around me. Parading my feelings around, making a spectacle of me. It hurt me. I trusted Yumi and--

"I like Miki," Kana's saying. "After you, I think she's the one who cares about me the most. She brings me books too. And she's always trying to cheer me up. She's like you, oniichan. She helps me to be strong."

"To be strong," I repeat, blankly. I stare at Kana and, for a moment, I can still only see Yumi Kashima's face. Those pleading eyes. She hurt me, sure. I've never forgiven her for that. But...

But I'm always telling Kana to be strong. To face up to the world and get around the obstacles. To grow up and face life with a confident, mature perspective.

"Taka... please. I--"

Why can't I do the same?

12.


"B-Bro? You alright?" I clicked back to reality, looking at Kana, plastering a hasty smile on.

"Yeah, just fine. 'To be strong?' You are strong, Kana."

She shook her head, looking down at her sheets, then behind me to the flowers. "I don't think so, I think I'll wilt one day, like those." A shot of anger went through me, reminding myself to give Yuta a rather...terse reminder to never bring those again.

"Never!" My harsh tense snapping Kana out of her momentary state of morose mind. "You'll never wilt, cliche or as goofy as it sounds, you'll bloom! You're going to school next term. That is strength there. I have nothing but confidence in how you'll do."

Kana's eyes shone when she looked at me again, nodding furiously. She squeezed my hand, tugging me into a small hug. "Thank you..." I smiled wanly, looking out at the snow.

To be strong...Yumi was, to come and speak to me...am I not strong enough to talk to her?

I sighed, wrapping an arm around Kana's slender frame. I sat back down looking at the snow still. "Caught your eye has it?" Kana giggled, coughing a little.

"Nah, just something to look at and think on..." I smiled at my lil' sister. "Sure you don't wanna go over those notes?"

Kana nodded, "It's something for later, you're visiting now."

I mentally snapped my fingers, I was kinda hoping for some kind of distraction now...

I think perhaps you mean 'tone', not 'tense'?

Oh, and there should be an exclamation point (or a full stop) after 'wilt'. It's another one of those dreaded run-on sentences that you enjoy so much.

(Don't forget to make the instalment number a different colour so it'll stand out!)

Sheesh...they should call this 'Being Takamichi Todou'.

He's got a 4-way split personality at the moment.

I'm staying clear of his head for now...

(Hmm...let's see, which nubile young female's head should I pop into now...)

(AHA!...)

*scribbles*

Ko-Chan

Well, most people contributing to the WAFFO haven't written KLS fanfic before, so getting into Taka's head is a novel experience for them. I think that's something we need to take into account; for now, it seems that people are just enjoying the opportunity to be Taka. Easing into the role, so to speak.

It's all about keeping the story accessible for everyone who wants to contribute, I think.

And so help me, if you introduce another new character in your next instalment, I will strangle you. =P